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ECR Newsletter - November 2025
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Spotlight On ... Images of Research - Winners Announced
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We are pleased to announce the winners in the Early Career Researcher category are as follows:
Winner: Spawning Abalone: The Release of New Life, by Susanne Vogeler (top left)
Runner up: Synergy, by Nicholas Clifton and Alice Franklin (top right)
We are pleased to announce that the Arts and Culture commendation is also awarded to the winner of the ECR category, Susanne Vogeler, for 'Spawning Abalone: The Release of New Life'.
Congratulations to this year's winners! We had some fantastic images submitted this year and our judges really enjoyed reviewing them alongside their descriptions.
The top entries will be displayed in the Forum, Streatham Campus from Tuesday 6 January - Tuesday 3 February. Displays will also be held on our Penryn Campus in the New Year. Please keep your eye on our website for full details.
All entries will also shortly be added to our website as a brochure, which acts as a permenent record of their submission.
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Research Staff Development Programme
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Learning and Development Opportunities: University of Exeter and Beyond
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1:2:1 Careers Appointments with Kenneth Howgill – Researcher Development Careers Coach (ECRs)
Unsure of your future career direction either within Academia or beyond Academia? Kenneth Howgill, (Careers Coach for Researcher Development and Research Culture), is available to offer 1:2:1 Career coaching appointments for ECRs. 50 minute online appointments are available for you to book on.
Kenneth can offer advice and discuss how to manage and plan your career and has timeslots through to December. If you have any queries, please contact ResearcherDevelopment@exeter.ac.uk
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'Focus Space' - Improve Your Productivity!
We would like to give you a warm welcome to our regular 'Focus Space' online sessions which run from 10 am - 12.30 pm Mondays and Thursdays - Click here for dates and details of how to join this group. Participants do not have to stay for the whole session - you can dip in and out as you please! To make things easy, these sessions, open to staff researchers, from Early Career Researchers onwards, can be accessed via the same Teams link.
We are looking to expand our team of facilitators so if you would like to find out more about becoming a facilitator please contact ResearcherDevelopment@exeter.ac.uk. Facilitating is considered part of 'teaching practice' for Fellowship levels of the Higher Education Academy!
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Creative Skills in Research – Adaptability and Flexibility
Tuesday 25 November 2025 (10am - 4pm) - Streatham Campus, Creative Quadrant (in grounds of Streatham Court, Exeter Business School)
Wednesday 3 December 2025 (10 am - 4 pm) - Penryn Campus, Peter Lanyon, Seminar Room 06
Forging an academic career is highly demanding, requiring both a rhino hide to survive the slings and arrows of unsuccessful grant applications and missed opportunities, and wide-eyed wonder to sustain passion and curiosity for a subject. How does one stay creatively malleable in a potentially ossifying environment? In this session, we will explore the roles of adaptability and flexibility in the creative process – both are required for creativity and are strengthened through creative habits. We will explore related themes of ambiguity, iteration, failure and confidence, and introduce practical tools to challenge path dependency and encourage reframing. The session will be interactive, discursive, informal and – if we get it right – enjoyable and informative.
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Planning for Meaningful Public Engagement
Tuesday 11 November 2025 (10.30 am - 12.30 pm)
Streatham Campus, Old Library, Training Room 4
Dr Dreolin Fleischer will lead this interactive workshop, guiding participants through public engagement with research. Topics covered will include:
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Reasons you might want to engage the public with your research
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Types of outputs, outcomes, and impacts achieved from engaging the public
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How to decide who should be involved
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Ways to reach the publics you want to engage with
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How your research fits into a wider picture
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Benefits to researchers from engaging with publics
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Benefits to publics from engaging with research
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Planning for evaluation of the engagement
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LinkedIn for Researchers: Developing and Using Your Profile
Tuesday 18 November 2025 (12.45 pm - 2 pm) Online
The tools and techniques introduced in this session will be applicable to all those who wish to develop their LinkedIn profile and be proactive in developing online relationships with the wider professional and research community.
There will be information provided and opportunities for Q & A as well as a live demonstration of using LinkedIn to engage with the wider researcher and professional community beyond Exeter.
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How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome
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Making Decisions in your Career
Dr Vikki Wright is an ex-Professor and certified life coach.
After a 20+ year academic career, Dr Wright founded The PhD Life Coach where she runs a coaching membership programme for PhD students.
Dr Wright will deliver two online sessions this term:
How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome - Wednesday 19 November (2 pm - 4 pm) Online
Do you ever feel like everyone else knows what they're doing and that you are somehow 'winging' it? Or that you don't really fit in and one day someone might find out? Imposter syndrome is really common at every level of academia but that doesn't stop it feeling really difficult.
In this online workshop, we will explore what we mean by imposter syndrome, how it affects our behaviour, and what we can do about it.
We'll discuss some of the structural causes, as well as learning some specific tools that we can use to learn how to respond to this critical inner voice.
Making Decisions In Your Career - Wednesday 3 December 2025 (10.30 am - 12.30 pm) Online
Do you feel 'stuck' or confused about your career and uncertain how to move forward? In this two hour online workshop, we consider why it can feel difficult to make career decisions, how to overcome those concerns, and I teach a decision making process that helps you make a decision you love.
It's not a 'there are these options available' or a 'you SHOULD do this' workshop - instead we focus on the thoughts and beliefs that are making choosing difficult and give you a tangible route forward.
I'll also share my journey from first generation PhD student to researcher to teaching focused professor to life coach!
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Writing Targeted Grant Proposals
Monday 24 November 2025 (2 pm - 3.30 pm) Online
Writing a grant with an efficient process can minimise the time taken and leave you free to get on with your work, or writing another grant. The session is delivered by Dr Chris Wood.
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Applying for Your Next Academic Role
Tuesday 2 December 2025 (11.30 am - 1 pm) Online
Unsure how to navigate the job market?
This online course will enable you to enhance your knowledge and understanding of the process of applying for positions in the academic job market. We will explore what academic recruiters are looking for, where to source vacancies and explore the different stages of the recruitment process. There will be a particular focus on how to write effective CVs, cover letters, application forms and perform well at interviews.
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Coding for Reproducible Research training
The Coding for Reproducible Research training initiative - which runs free-to-access programming training for Staff and Students - is pleased to release details of the initial courses in their workshop programme for this academic year.
If you have any questions, get in touch with the Coding for Reproducible Research initiative via CodingForReproducibleResearch@exeter.ac.uk. Further information on our full range of courses, self-assessment quizzes, and self-study learning resources are also available on the programme's website
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Hack the Loop: Solving Fast Fashion with Circular Innovation
Tuesday 11 November (2.30 pm - 4.30 pm) Online
CIWM (Chartered Institution of Wastes Management), in collaboration with the Exeter Centre for Circular Economy, is hosting an exciting online hackathon for Early Career Researchers, Postgraduates and Undergraduates.
This hackathon invites participants to tackle the environmental challenges of fast fashion by developing innovative solutions that reduce textile waste and support a circular economy. Whether it's a concept, prototype, or detailed plan, entries should address one or more key areas: upcycling and designing for longevity, material innovation and modular design, value chain optimisation and sustainable sourcing, end-of-life solutions and recycling technologies, or consumer engagement and behaviour change.
Join us to rethink fashion’s future and help close the loop.
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Are you an Early Career Researcher Interested in Collaborating Beyond Academia?
Deadline for registering : 21 November 2025.
Wednesday 26 November (10 am - 11.30 am) - Communicating Research Beyond Academia - with optional 1:1 coaching session - online.
Monday 8 December (10 am - 1 pm) - Exploring Industry Challenges event with engineering services company, Babcock (includes lunch) - in person - Exeter
Explore how to:-
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Identify opportunities for collaboration
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Connect with potential partners
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Craft compelling, jargon-free, communication
Discover the workplace culture, approach to innovation and diverse support structures of major engineering services company, Babcock. Join other researchers and industry representatives for an introduction to networking and facilitated round table discussions about the challenge areas.
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Creativity and Communication: Changing Perspective
Thursday 27 November 2025 (10 am - 3 pm) - Penryn Campus
Friday 5 December 2025 (10 am - 3 pm) - Streatham Campus
How can creative thinking enhance your research communication?
This one day in-person workshop will give you the opportunity to explore and experiment with creative techniques for communication alongside other ECRs in a cross-disciplinary, and collaborative environment.
This workshop will emphasise the central role of perspective. The perspectives of both audiences and researchers need to be understood if research communication is to be successful. You will learn key concepts and skills, explore how these can be applied, and begin to plan future creative communication projects associated with your own research. From team building to media engagement, the skills you will develop are highly transferable, in and outside of academia. All materials will be provided. Please bring lunch and a reusable cup.
This activity is a Researcher-led Initiative funded by the University of Exeter Researcher Development and Research Culture team.
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We want to hear your voice on the University’s Strategy 2030! How does it align with your ambitions, your research, and your vision for the future of academia? We're keen to understand how your own work and development connect with the university's long-term goals.
We’re currently refreshing the ECR SharePoint Resource Hub to better reflect your needs and support your growth - and your insights could feature in the updated content!
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Sustainable Labs Induction – Mandatory Training for ALL Lab Users
The Sustainable Labs team has developed a new Sustainable Labs Induction, now available via PowerApps. This training is part of our commitment to embedding sustainable practices across our laboratories and aligns with wider faculty and institutional sustainability goals.
They are asking all staff working in laboratories to complete this induction as part of their mandatory training. The induction includes interactive content, guidance on sustainable lab practices, and a short quiz. It takes around 20–30 minutes to complete, and users must score at least 75% to pass.
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Early Career E&R Academics Needed for Research Project
Colleagues from the School of Education are leading a NERC-funded pilot project on the probationary experiences of Early Career Academics. They are interested in talking to Education and Research (E&R) academics who have a range of experiences entering academia and who have passed probation in the past two years. Involvement consists of one interview.
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Research Grants, Funding & Competitions
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The link below represents some of the fellowships that are availbable for staff at the University of Exeter who have taken some time out for parenting or caring reasons.
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Dr Andrew Cunliffe has created this Funding Finder platform which signposts hundreds of funding opportunities that will be of interest to current community members looking to undertake research, fieldwork, conference visits or exchanges with our partner organisations worldwide. It has easily searchable listings and awards ranging from £100 to £10,000,000.
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New Pivot-RP Searches for the ECR Community
As part of ongoing work to develop our university-wide support for fellowship applicants and active fellows, we have established two curated Pivot-RP searches targeted at this ECR community that can be readily accessed and tailored to individual’s needs. Guidance on how to do this can be found on the button below.
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Research & Researcher Networks
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British Academy ECR Network - SWSW Connect: online connection and inspiration each month
Tuesday 11 November 2025 (12 noon - 1 pm) online
The British Academy Early Career Researcher Network (ECRN) - Southwest & South Wales (SWSW) invites ECRs across humanities and social sciences to a monthly ECR-driven online gathering where we get to know each other, exchange knowledge, support and inspiration. Meetings combine thematic content with time for networking and fostering new connections across the region.
November’s topic was suggested by the ECR Advisory Group:
How my research can contribute to the research culture environment and to Research Excellence (REF), Knowledge Exchange (KEF) and Teaching Excellence (TEF) Frameworks in different organisational contexts
For more information, email Linda Lanyon
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Upcoming Webinars in WUN’s ECR Series
Handling Rejection in Academia - Tuesday 11 November 2025 (9 am - 11 am) Online.
Register here
Registration closes : Monday 10 November 2025
This session will help you to develop strategies to cope with rejection, reframe setbacks as learning opportunities, and maintain motivation despite challenges. You will gain practical insights into managing the emotional impact of rejection, hear about common challenges faced by researchers, and reflect on your own experiences in a supportive environment. See the attached flyer for more information. Facilitator: Dr Heledd Jarosz-Griffiths.
Research Culture: What is it and why does it matter? - Thursday 4 December 2025 (2 pm - 4 pm) Online.
Register here
Registration closes : Wednesday 3 December 2025
This session is designed to help you understand how research culture has an impact and what you can do to positively influence the culture around you. You will also explore how diverse cultures influence cross sector and global collaborations, and the wider implications of workplace culture on your career going forward. See flyer for more information. Facilitator: Dr Marjorie Boissinot.
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Reaching Out: Forming Interdisciplinary Connections
British Academy ECR Network Workshop
Tuesday 18 November (10 am - 4 pm - optional to 5 pm) Streatham Campus, Reed Hall.
The nature of academic work across disciplines is rapidly evolving and this opens opportunities for wider research impact and varied sources of funding.
The aim of this workshop is to provide a forum for Early Career Researchers interested in collaborating on interdisciplinary projects to come together, gain insight and advice from peers and senior researchers who have conducted interdisciplinary research, develop ideas for collaborative projects and/or solid plans for outreach to potential collaborators. We will be guided in ways to diversify our research portfolio and networks, within and beyond academia, in order to strengthen our research and its impact in the national and international research space.
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Widening Participation (WP) Networking Event for Students and Staff
Thursday 20 November 2025
Streatham Campus, Forum (a free coach will be available for students to travel from the Penryn Campus to Streatham Campus)
Do you find networking daunting?
At this event you will have the opportunity to develop your networking skills and attend a Showcase event to find out more about the support available to you from the Career Zone, Library, Peer support programmes, the Aspire programme and others. Networking enables the development of social capital, communication skills and confidence, and the creation of community and friendship. Networking can benefit job progression as well as job seeking.
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Masterclass 1 – 10 am - 12.30 pm
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Masterclass 2 – 1 pm - 3.30 pm
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Masterclass 3 – 3.30 pm - 6 pm
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Networking Showcase 6 pm - 8 pm. Please note, there is no need to book this if you have booked onto a masterclass.
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The impact of the 'impact agenda' on professional development and career opportunities of ECRs working in humanities, arts, and social sciences
Thursday 27 November 2025 (10.30 am - 3.30 pm) British Academy, London (travel and accommodation costs covered).
How are ECRs in HASS disciplines trained and supported to conduct socially impactful research, and what consequences does attention to impact have for their careers, inside and outside academia? And what can we do to improve it?
Join us for the second part of this two-part event, taking place on 27 November. Our online workshop on the 30 October brought together a group of brilliant and enthusiastic ECRs from across the country who helped refine the findings of our recent study that addressed these questions. We are now looking forward to taking the top concerns and questions identified collectively to a day of workshopping with senior academics and policy actors, to plan the next policy and practical steps.
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Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation
British Academy ECR Network - SWSW Webinar Series
Thursday 4 December 2025 (11 am - 12 noon) online
Dr Carly Ameen and Dr Laura Evis are bioarchaeologists and directors of the SHArD 3D Lab based in the Archaeology and History Department at the University of Exeter. They regularly work with external organisations from heritage and emergency services sectors to provide training, workshops and grant/commercially driven research solutions to challenges facing these sectors. Having both held the role of Director of Business Engagement and Impact (DoBIE) for their department, they have spearheaded a range of successful Knowledge
Exchange initiatives that they will provide an overview of in this presentation.
The SWSW Webinar Series aims to bring knowledge and skill-based content relevant to our community every month, with engaging expert speakers.
Contact Dr Linda Lanyon, for more information.
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Research Impact Culture: AHRC and ESRC Impact Accelerator Accounts
British Academy ECRN - SWSW Webinar Series
Friday 5 December 2025 (10 am - 12 noon) online
This session will give insight into the Impact Accelerator Accounts (IAA), which is a type of devolved funding aimed at supporting the development of a research impact culture within Universities. This funding is awarded from a Research Council directly to a University, who then use it support a range of internal funding opportunities, training and other support for researchers to make a meaningful difference outside of the University.
The session will include an introduction to concept of research impact with some examples of projects that have been supported by IAA funding. The AHRC and ESRC teams who look after their respective IAA programmes will share more about their strategic aims for the IAA, followed by a conversation about the types of support that are on offer to help you develop impact from your research. We will end with a sharing of the specific internal IAA opportunities available.
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The Exeter Wellbeing Network is a social group for staff and PGRs run by volunteers, hosting a variety of events to help colleagues based at Streatham, St Luke's or online to connect with one another. Recurring events include StaffCraft, Volleyball, Walk and Talk and Fika; find the full list on our webpage.
You can also contact us at wellbeing-network@exeter.ac.uk.
If you are looking for information about activities at Penryn, Falmouth and Truro, please visit the Cornwall Wellbeing Network webpage.
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Confessions of an Early Carer Reseearcher
Navigating the world of academia after your PhD can feel overwhelming, exciting, and a little bit secretive. 'Confessions of an Early Career Researcher', brought to you by the British Academy, is a candid, honest, and inspiring podcast for Early Career Researchers (ECRs) at every stage of their journey.
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ECR Community on Viva Engage
Have you noticed the University community for ECRs on Viva Engage? Lots of ECRs have already been added and if you are not on there, you can join. This is a collaborative online space to share and discuss ideas, ask questions and keep up to date with the latest activities, events and opportunities.
Have your voice heard and shape our community and ECR culture. Join the conversation now by sharing your first post!
This page is maintained and moderated by the Researcher Development and Research Culture team.
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Research & Researcher Blogs
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Research and Leadership - Paths and Pitfalls
If you missed the last ECR Town Halls, do not fret! Our Future Leader and Innovator Becky Rowe has put together our latest ECR blog post which summarises the key takeaways from the Town Halls in Exeter and Penryn. Both events included open and honest conversation about what it means to be a leader in research.
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Organising an Event & Need Help?
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Health, Wellbeing & Support
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Find out how the University can support Early Career Researchers. The page includes support from the University, Spectrum.Life as well as a list of networks to support staff wellbeing.
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